I have a rule (or did; they just rented a larger house so we’ll see) - any gift to DS/DIL/GS is flat, useful, or both. I gave them towels that matched their bathroom decor, for instance. (They loved them and most importantly, DIL’s mom loved them!)
I did order what some might say is a fleet of outdoor vehicles/toys for their new house.
I still remember asking my mom to consider putting money in a college fund for my kids instead of buying a bunch of toys. She informed me college was my responsibility and she wanted to see the kids enjoy the presents she got them. I didn’t push her, and all was fine.
Although totally made out of fruit, here is some inspiration for Thanksgiving. Can substitute a lot of veggies, cheese and crackers around the outer rim.
My mom loved to buy for the grandkids. My kids still talk about their big bag of clothes from grandma. I try to not get carried away. My DIL is very particular about what her child wears so it’s hard to buy for them. We don’t celebrate Christmas with them so no Santa gifts from us. I’ve also spent enough time in each of their houses to know how much stuff they already have. My local kids like to reserve some toys for just at my house. I have a toy kitchen my daughter bought used and all the cousins love it. The parents love it as the kitchen stuff all stays at my house.
I do like to give each of them a book.
I love that idea. I’m going to send it to my kids and see if anyone is interested in making something similar.
I bought lots of books I plan to give with checks for great nieces & great nephews for holidays. All the little ones have more than enough “stuff.” I get the books at Friends of the Library, thereby supporting our local library as well.
When DDs were young (they are 29 and 31 now), I visited a pretty good consignment store whenever I was in that general area - and picked up toys, books, dress shoes, clothes. DD1 has a thrift store in her general area, and on a particular day (maybe Tues or Wed) they have automatic discount - so if she is off on that day (or is off some of the day due to medical/dental visits) she will make a point to get there - and she generally finds useful things.
I like the concept also on the four gift categories (want/need/wear/read).
Last year got the 4 kids all matching pjs, and an extra one to grow into - and their baby born in March won’t be ready for that until Dec 2027 with the smallest size. For a photo, will have GD3 in something festive to wear along with her older siblings.
We handled this a little differently. My kids only got a few gifts in the mail, but we opened them as they arrived (and one was always books from my Uncle). That way they got to enjoy them as they arrived and really appreciate them, and Christmas morning was just a little smaller (in a good way). We read the books a few times (usually Christmas themed, beautiful and we still have them). They got some little gifts from my friends. My kids also have birthdays in Dec and Jan and those were also opened as they arrived (sometimes in the same box as their Christmas gifts.
We followed this rule and the Santa wish list was limited to 3 too (although Santa also brought all the stocking stuff). They couldn’t ask for pets! Santa often brought stuff I’d never agree to - Heely shoe-skates, cell phones (my kids were the last of their friends to get them), a Wii the year they were so hard to find. My kids were true Santa believers until they were 10-11 years old because of these “Mom always says no” gifts that Santa said yes to. When one daughter was 8, she asked if Santa could bring clothes. I told her yes, but it was unlikely her sister would ask for clothes (she always wanted the same as her sister). She thought about it for 3 days and then said, ‘yep, I want clothes.’
We always went to my sister’s on Christmas morning and we started having to go later and later as her kids (one the same age as mine) got a MILLION gifts and mine couldn’t understand why they only got 3 gifts and cousins got MILLIONS and were still opening them hours later. That’s still the case but now we just go later in the day (and they are ALMOST done opening their gifts as even though the kids are 30, they still get, IMO, way too many gifts).
Are we related? Because that was the case with my sister in law. So many gifts!
They were in a different tax bracket than us, also went all out for Christmas. Let’s max out our credit cards out. Not our scene.
Our children are still not into physical gifts, getting together is present enough. Feels to me more in the spirit of the season
That was H’s family ( especially his younger S with her kids). It was yet another reason we didn’t travel to see them at Christmas.
Have any of you bought a custom wood puzzle for your grandkids? I’ve been getting served a lot of ads and the ones with the baby name and animals look so cute. Since D1 is a teacher so I think she would approve of a gift like this for GD’s first Christmas. I also wanted to get a custom board book for GD with pictures and names of all of her family members and all of our pets. If you have a suggestion of where to get this let me know. Since GD is only 6 weeks old on Monday I figure I will wait until next Christmas to get her a Toniebox.
@showmom858 i love the idea of a custom name puzzle and book.
Little kid used a white noise tonie figurine in the baby’s room since the baby was about six months old. Then a lullaby figurine. So you might want to give the gift earlier. 
ETA: this is the white noise figurine. She says her sister recommended it because she also used it for her kids!
Thank you for sending this @BunsenBurner. Now I have an excuse to get the Toniebox for GD. 
At least I am holding off getting the wooden play kitchen for her until next October for her first birthday!
OK I just ordered a wooden name puzzle for GS. I refrained from getting one with airplanes for my college son (who is majoring in aero) but I considered it!
Just ordered and received a custom family pic board book I ordered online through Pinhole Press. Turned out even better than I expected.
I tried 3 other platforms and found this one to be most straightforward to use on the design.
@fretfulmother I think you should get the airplane one for your S!
I just ordered a Highlights High Five subscription for our almost 2.5-year-old GS. Everything on their website is 30% off with code JOY if anyone else is interested.
Apparently GD’s friends were talking about Santa at daycare/preschool and GD told D she wants Santa to bring an “ Anna” doll ( she already has “Elsa” . D reports she found the doll at Target for $9.99 so it sounds like Santa is going to come through with that.
